if I die young bury me in cherry blossoms
by The Cinder Crown
Summary: "The cherry blossom represents fragility and the beauty of life":: or 31 meet-cute oneshots about Sirius and Lily [Memory-loss!AU fake-dating!AU Detective!AU Musician!AU Teacher!AU] :: for Amanda
1. blossom falls

**... if I die young bury me in cherry blossoms ...**

* * *

...  
"_The cherry blossom represents fragility and the beauty of life. It's a reminder that life is almost overwhelming beautiful but that it is also tragically short." Homaro Cantu  
..._

**#1. Blossom falls  
**

* * *

"Lily."

The sound of her name was the first thing she heard – muffled and dull, but it was her name nevertheless. The young woman didn't know where she was; everything around her was dark.

"Lily. Open your eyes for me. _Please._"

The redhead didn't recognize the voice, but the words – especially the last – were spoken so soft, so gentle… so filled with hope and desperation at the same time.

Then she felt how someone placed a strong hand around hers and stroked it carefully. The strange, yet somehow familiar feeling of their touching skin sent shivers down her spine.

"_Please._"

Lily's heart started to beat faster, and summoning all her will-power, she tried to open her green eyes.

_Blink. Blink. Blink._

The light that met her gaze was cold and blinding, and she had to blink a couple of times in order to fully accustom to its brightness.

Immediately, she felt dizziness rushing over her, and in an attempt to steady herself, she gripped the hand tighter.

"It's alright, Lily," the voice continued soothingly, and once again stroked her hand, "you're in a hospital."

Slowly, her blurry vision started to clear; the white, almost sterile looking walls around her were the first things she noticed, followed by the grey door on the opposite end of the room. Then, a table with bottles, band-aids and syringes in the far distance and a pair of rather ugly rosé-coloured curtains framed the windows.

Ignoring the increasing pain in her head, the moved her eyes to her right side and tried to make out the silhouette of the person that was sitting next to her.

High cheekbones, hints of a beard, a slim face framed by curly black hair. Images started to get less blurry and upon looking into them, she was immediately captured by the man's fascinating grey eyes, that looked at her with a mixture of kindness, relief and fear.

"What – what happened?" she asked, and her voice sounded itchy and hoarse.

The man sighed. "You've been in an accident," he explained, still holding on to her small hand. "A child ran onto the street, right in front of a speeding car. You pushed him out of the way, and got hit instead. Luckily, X-rays show that you got away with only a heavy concussion and a couple of really bad bruises; the doctors call it a miracle."

"How's the boy?" Lily asked, concerned. "Please tell me something good."

A smile appeared on his face. "He's quite well," he said and pointed towards the vase on her night stand, that contained a small branch of a cherry blossom tree. "I told him that cherry-blossoms were your favourite, and he brought this earlier this morning to say 'thank you'."

Lily was quiet for a moment and she stared at the man, then at the blossoms and back at the stranger. "How do you know they are my favourites?" she asked carefully and before he had time to answer, an different thought hit her. "Come to think of it, how do you know _me_?"

Apparently, this was not a question her visitor had expected, for he wrinkled his forehead and confusion was mirrored in his grey eyes.

"How do I …?"

Lily saw how he shook his head, clearly not knowing what to respond.

"Don't get me wrong, I appreciate you sitting by my side, and your voice does sound a bit familiar," she continued quickly, and tried move one of her pillows so that she was able to sit in a more upright position on her bed, "but I don't know who you are."

Grey eyes only stared at her with disbelief. "You don't know who I am," he repeated in an emotional whisper.

"I'm so sorry."

He swallowed hard. Then, he wordlessly lifted her hand which he had been holding up until now.

"My name is Sirius. And I'm your husband," the man whispered softly, and right in that moment, a beam of sunlight shone upon Lily's hand and with wide, shell-shocked green eyes, she stared at the delicate golden wedding-band that graced her finger.

…

"So, where are you taking me?" Lily asked curiously, glanced down at her sparkling black dress and linked her arm with Sirius' while they continued walking down the empty streets of London.

Two weeks had passed since that fateful day in the hospital, and he had been there – every day until her doctors had finally signed the release-papers. Of course, after the initial shock, and the short moment of embarrassment had passed.

Whenever he came, a bright smile appeared on her face, and whenever she felt sad or unhappy, he found a way to cheer her up – he had even managed to sneak a cup of coffee into her room!

It made her stay in the hospital so much more pleasant and whenever she had troubles falling asleep, Sirius had read to her in his soothing voice: newspaper articles, fashion reports in a lifestyle-magazine or – after she had told him about her love for Jane Austen – several chapters from '_Pride & Prejudice_'. The duration of his stays had always varied; sometimes they talked for several hours a day and he told her all about her family, how they had met at school, their rather rocky start into a unique friendship and how it – one day – had turned into a loving relationship. Sure, there had been days when his work didn't allow a lengthy visit, but somehow, he had managed to still be by her bedside every day. At one occasion, she had woken up one morning to find a single cherry blossom along with a small note on her nightstand.

Sirius' grey eyes twinkled mischievously in the moonlight and he smiled at her. "Well, we're talking a small trip down the memory line. And this – " he pointed towards a small, ivory-covered door on their left, "is the entrance to the little Italian restaurant I've taken you on our first date."

…

"Can I get you anything else?"

"No, that should be it," Sirius replied and returned the check to the waiter, who gave a little bow and vanished wordlessly behind the counter.

Lily beamed at him and reached for her wine glass.

"This place really is lovely," she said and admired the beautiful decorations that completed the image along with the small vintage-styled chairs and tables.

Sirius laughed and retrieved the napkin he had put on his lap to cover his suit back on the table. "I'm glad to hear that. It's exactly what you said back then."

The red-head returned his smile. "Well, is there anything else I enjoyed?"

Again, this lovely smirk appeared on his face, and Lily's heart skipped a beat when the handsome man got up and extended his hand to her.

"I asked you to dance with me," he whispered, put his arms around her slim waist and pulled her close.

"Did I also ask you to kiss me?" Lily whispered nervously and looked into his deep grey eyes.

"You didn't," he exhaled slowly and softly lifted her chin. "But this time around I'm not going to wait any longer," he continued, bent down and placed a feathery soft kiss on her lips.

…

"This is beautiful, Sirius," Lily said and laid her head on is shoulder. In return, he pulled her into a tight embrace. Sitting side by side, they stood on top of London's Tower Bridge, holding on to the cold iron banister and watched the sun rise above the Thames in the far distance.

"Well, to be fair, I cannot really remember our 10th date back in the days, but yeah, I think I outdid myself with this one," he replied with a smug smile.

Playfully, the red-head nudged him with her elbow.

"Hey, what was that for?"

Lily just smiled, albeit a bit lost in her own thoughts. "For – well, I don't know… I guess for going through all this trouble for me… all these dates you've taken me so far… it's been just lovely."

The curly-haired man placed a kiss on her forehead. "You're my wife – even if you don't remember. But I love you, Lily," he admitted and the seriousness in his voice made her shiver. "I would do anything for you."

The red-haired beauty leaned back against him and stared at the rising sun. It was true, the efforts Sirius had taken in order to remind her of their life prior to her accident was magical. They've been to the cinema – re-watching the first movie they had ever seen together. Then, they've visited their old school, walked hand in hand on the beach, and strolled through the London Zoo where Sirius had told her all about how he and his best friends James and Remus had jumped over fences and taken pictures with giraffes, hippos and lions.

"I love you, too," she whispered and intertwined her fingers with his.

She heard him taking a deep breath. "Is your memory coming back?" he asked, careful not to get his hopes up too high.

Lily shook his head.

A quick, almost undetectable hint of sadness flashed across his face, but Lily had spent enough time with him to notice.

"I don't need my memories," she said, and her voice was barely more than a soft, shy whisper, before she kissed him passionately. "I'm falling in love with you all over again, Sirius Black."

…

"Cherry blossoms," Lily whispered in awe and stared at the beautiful petals that had fallen from the ceiling when she and her newly-wed husband had started their first waltz.

Sirius chuckled and brushed one of the petals out of her fiery red hair – although it was rather in vain since James and Remus continued to throw them like confetti.

Soon, more and more couples joined them on the dance floor, and when Lily twirled over the dance floor with her white wedding gown, little eddies of cherry blossoms got swirled up high in the air.

"I still don't know why they are my favourites," the red-haired woman pondered as she brought her arms around Sirius's neck.

Grey eyes sparkled mischievously. "What happened to '_let's make some new memories'_?"

Lily rolled her eyes lovingly. "I'd still like to know."

Sirius was quiet for a moment and just watched the blossoms fall. "It was when we were back at school. James and I had just finished one of our latest pranks, and well, you caught us on the field on our way back to the dormitories."

"And?"

"Well," Sirius continued, and brushed another petal out of her hair, "naturally, being the responsible Head-Girl and all, you were about to report us to the Deputy."

"But?"

The handsome man smiled. "You didn't sneak."

Lily looked surprised. "I didn't? Why?"

"I'd say you always had a soft spot for me."

For that, he got a playful nudge once more.

"Alright, alright. James proposed a bet," Sirius laughed and twirled his wife around. "If I succeeded in climbing the most instable tree on the school grounds and retrieve a hand full of petals from the highest branch, you'd let us go."

Lily smiled. "And you succeeded?"

Sirius bent down and placed a soft kiss on her forehead. "Well, I would have… if hadn't stepped on a rotten branch on my way down."

Green eyes sparkled knowingly, and Sirius' smile widened.

"On my way down, I must have shaken the tree kind of a lot, so by the time I got hold of an other branch, I looked down and you were flashing me one of these dashing smiles although you were completely buried in cherry blossoms."

Lily beamed at her husband and watched the petals swirl around them.

"Just like now?"

Sirius nodded and kissed her lovingly. "Just like now."

* * *

**Assignment 6: **Muggle Cultures: Task #1: write a fic featuring cherry blossoms

**March Event: **Meet-Cute March: Prompt 1 [SiriusLily]

**Writing Club: **Book Club: "Me before you" by Jojo Moyes:Will Traynor: (character) Sirius Black, (genre) Hurt/Comfort, (dialogue) "Tell me something good."

**Writing Club: **Assorted Appreciations: #5. Alice Longbottom: Write about a lengthy stay in a hospital.

**Writing Club: **Bex's Basement: #15. Write about a car accident.

**March Monthly: **Alphabetti Spaghetti: #X [x-ray]

**Words: **1957


	2. blossom ties

**…** **if I die young bury me in cherry blossoms … **

* * *

…  
_"When men and women are able to respect and accept their differences then love has a chance to blossom." John Gray  
_…

**#2. blossom ties**

* * *

**...**

_Thursday evening [20:45]_**  
...**

Sirius once again resisted the urge to roll his eyes.

There he was, sitting in one of the old ebony-wood chairs at the large Black-family dining table and forced himself to listen to his grandfather's endless speeches. Once in a while, he shared a glance with his brother Regulus, who sat at the opposite end of the table – looking equally bored and exhausted. His mother – that old hag – was like every Thursday ordering the servants around the house and his father… well, he just sat there and tried to make the best of these unbearably annoying Thursday-evening dinner Sirius's grandfather had insisted on.

The dark-haired business man sighed inwardly and picked at the tiny pieces of expensive food on the fancy plate in front of him. If his employees saw him like that… quiet, small and obedient to every single word his mother said… Sirius felt shivers running down his spine at that thought and dismissed it immediately.

"So, my boy, I just have to ask… I do hope you will be bringing that lovely lady of yours at the weekend?"

At first, Sirius didn't even notice that the question was directed at him, since he kept studying the contents of his wine glass.

"Sirius!" Walburga's voice thundered through the old dining room, "your grandfather asked you a question!"

Immediately, his head jerked up. His grey eyes widened, and the young man first shot a helpless look at his brother – who only shrugged – then at his father, who had his eyebrows raised. He avoided his mother's eyes altogether, bit his lip and turned towards old Arcturus.

"My, erm, what?"

His grandfather's eyes narrowed. "Your fiancée," he repeated, and Sirius almost spit out the whine he had just sipped.

"My what?"

This time, it was his mother's tone glare. "Your fiancée," she repeated, her voice dangerously low. "The one you so proudly told us about a couple of weeks ago when we spoke about cousin Bellatrix' wedding?"

The wedding. Sirius swallowed hard as the memories of that night kept flashing back into his mind. He had been tired of his relatives' constant bickering about his single life, so he had – stupid as he was back then – pretended to be in a relationship with a lovely young lady whom he even intended to marry soon.

His heart was beating nervously and pearls of sweat started to form on his forehead.

"Ah, well, yeah, you see…"

"I was against adding a strange woman to the guest list, but your father insisted on it," his mother continued with an exasperated gesture towards Orion before she turned her attention back so her son, "which is why I insist on her to behave exceptionally at the wedding. The entire family will be there, and I won't have you submerge the good Black name by bringing some troll-like fiancée along, do you hear me?"

Sirius' voiced failed him, so he only nodded. Regulus shot him a sympathetic look.

_A fiancée,_ he thought with a twist in his stomach and leaned heavily back in his chair, _how was he supposed to find himself a woman, let alone a bloody fiancée in less than 24 hours_?

**...**  
_Friday morning [07:45]_  
**...**

The sunlight was shining bright through the office windows as Lily Evans – clothed in a beautiful sky-blue summer dress – entered the office. Like every day, she had already picked up the letters and papers from the registry, started the coffee-maker, waited, then poured the steaming hot liquid in two mugs.

Skilfully, she manoeuvred herself through the labyrinth of desks until she reached the big oak doors that lead to her boss' office.

"Good morning, Sir," she greeted politely upon entering and set down one of the cups on her own desk, and the other one – along with everything else she had picked up – in front of her boss.

Strangely enough, he didn't even spare her a single glance, let alone speak to her.

The red-haired beauty frowned. She had worked alongside Mr. Black for several years now – being the everlasting right hand he could depend on – and even though she would never admit it to herself, her heart jumped a beat whenever her boss rewarded her with one of his adorable smiles. Why else would she get up half an hour early in order to get him some coffee?

Today, however, something was odd… he was completely lost in his own thoughts. His face – although handsome as always – was pale and he had dark circles under his stunningly handsome grey eyes. His dark brown curls also looked a little untamed… all in all it seemed like the powerful head of Black-Industries hadn't slept very well last night.

Careful not to scare him, Lily stepped a bit closer towards his desk and softly tapped him on the shoulder. "Sir?"

"What?" his head jerked around, grey eyes wide and confused.

"Excuse me, Sir, I didn't want to disturb you," Lily apologized immediately, "I merely wanted to make sure you're doing okay."

The business man shook his had for a moment.

"I brought you some coffee," the red-haired beauty offered.

And there it was, the smug smile she loved so much. "You're a gift," he mumbled and took a sip.

He closed his eyes for a moment, enjoying the taste of the black liquid on his tongue. Then, he took a deep breath, sighed, stared at the screen of his computer and back at his assistant.

Suddenly, his eyes started to twinkle as if he had just found some sort of hidden treasure and his lips formed into a rather mischievous grin.

"Miss Evans, what are your plans for the weekend?"

Lily raised an eyebrow. "Well, _we_ have a skype-call scheduled for this afternoon with the company in Australia and – "

"Consider it cancelled," interrupted Sirius Black, checked his watch and got up from his chair.

The red-haired woman looked at her boss, clearly confused. "If that is the case, Sir, than there is nothing else to be done this weekened."

"Splendidly," Sirius chimed happily and placed an arm around her shoulder, "Now, there is a favour I need to ask you…"

**...**  
_Saturday evening [21:30]_  
**...**

Lily inwardly cursed herself. _Playing her boss' fiancée?_ How could she have possibly agreed to this? It was hard enough to hide her girl-crush on handsome and wealthy Mr. Black in the office as it was… but accompanying him to his cousin's wedding, meeting all his family and friends… this was going to be a disaster!

Taking a deep breath, she nervously tried to straighten her green dress and desperately tried to avoid Sirius's eyes.

He had picked her up about an hour ago, and Lily felt more than embarrassed when the expensive black limousine drove over the dirty pave way right up to her little apartment.

The doors had opened, and Mr. Black stepped out – dressed in a dashingly handsome black suit, matching leather shoes along with a dark green bow-tie that miraculously matched her dress.

"Sir," the driver called from the front – tearing Lily back to the present – "we've now reached the Lestrange Estate."

"Thank you, Kreacher, we'll walk from here," Sirius said, handed him some money and extended his hand to Lily.

Offering a timid smile, the red-head accepted his hand and together they walked towards the reception.

Ignoring her heavily beating heart, Lily tried to calm herself down as she maundered the small way lined with trees – secretly enjoying having her handsome boss so close to her.

**...  
**_Saturday evening [21:45]_**  
...**

Sirius smirked happily when he turned his head ever-so-slightly to his right and saw that Lily had linked her arm with his.

He could tell she was nervous – but so was he! In the past, he never had trouble with picking up women… hell, he was considered to be one of the most eligible bachelors in town… but this, with Lily… it was different.

Neither of them spoke while they walked, but the silence not at all strange, but rather comforting – both of them lost in their own thoughts.

Sirius was still amazed by her beauty and the low cut dress she wore was something entirely different from the pant-suits she usually wore in the office.

Thinking about it now, he felt stupid for throwing her so off guard by asking her to play his fiancée. He just now realized that whatever hopes he had of ever asking her out on a proper date had now vanished.

And if the situation wasn't awkward enough, the first people Sirius spotted upon entering the estate were his parents.

_Lovely, of all people it had to be them… _

Instinctively, he moved his arm and put it around Lily's waist. He felt how she first tensed a bit, but after the first shock, she relaxed and even leaned against him.

"Sirius, why are you so late?" his mother's voice thundered through the entrance hall.

The business man rolled his eyes, and to his surprise, he heard a small giggle from the red-haired beauty in his arms.

"Stop fussing, mother," he retorted with an exasperated sigh.

"I would not have to _fuss_ if you – for once in your life – arrived on time!"

To his surprise, Lily took the courage and spoke before he could. "Excuse me, Mrs. Black, but there was a heavy traffic on the way here. We would have been on time if it wasn't for that."

Apparently, his mother had only just noticed the red-haired beauty. Her eyes travelled Lily up and down, albeit with a raised eyebrow.

"And you are…?"

"Lily Evans," she answered, head held up high and Sirius had trouble hiding his mischievous smirk upon seeing the challenging look on Lily's face. "I'm your son's fiancée. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"My dearest mother is delighted to finally meet you," Sirius quickly intervined, before his mother had the chance to comment. "Now, if you excuse us, like you already mentioned, we're a bit behind in the schedule and need to get our luggage."

Completely ignoring his parents, Sirius quickly guided his beautiful assistant away from any further embarrassing conversations right towards the girl on the reception. She looked quite cheerful and happy with her occupation – if her purple hair was any indication.

"Wotcher, you two! Glad to finally see someone who isn't afraid to stand up to the old hag," she joked.

Luckily, Sirius shared the girls opinion, smiled happily at Lily before he grinned at the receptionist. "I couldn't agree more, Nymphadora."

"Stop calling me that," she complained and extended her hand to Lily, "name's Tonks. I've been dying to meet you! Never thought Sirius would catch such a beauty."

Sirius blushed a bright crimson. "Well, yes, anyway… would you mind handing us the keys?"

Tonks nodded enthusiastically. "Sure, here you go," she answered and her purple curls bounced on her shoulder. "Once I heard you'd finally bring your fiancée, I made sure you'd get the old honeymoon suite. Have fun!"

**...  
**_Saturday night [22:12]_**  
...**

Lily anxiously sat down her bag and looked around the room. It was beautifully decorated: walls painted in a light blue, a small wooden dressing table on her left, right next to a door that probably lead to the bathroom and in the middle stood a sky-blue, fluffy four-poster bed.

"I – erm – can sleep on the floor," Lily suggested and eyed her boss nervously. "The carpet looks quite comfortable… and if I put down some pillows – "

"That's not gonna happen," Sirius interrupted and tried to hide his shanking hands. "Look, I know the situation is less than ideal… and once the weekend is over, we don't have to mention this ever again – " at this point Sirius' heart contradicted painfully when he thought about going back to the office…

"The bed is big enough for both of us," he continued and tried to sound as casual as possible.

Lily's green eyes moved from the bed to Sirius and back to the bed. "Sharing won't be too bad, I guess," she said and rewarded him with one of her adorable smiles, "but I'll use the bathroom first."

**...  
**_Sunday morning [06:25]_**  
...**

Sirius felt something warm and soft pressed against his bare chest. Lazily he opened his eyes – and stopped short. Somehow, the wall of pillows they had built up in the middle of the bed had disappeared and Lily' dressed in a lovely cream-coloured night gown, was snuggled up against him. He didn't dare to move, and simply watched her. She was even more beautiful in the faint glow of the morning sunlight and her flaming red hair was sprawled all over the pillow. One of the strands had fallen into her face and carefully he brushed it back behind her ear.

Suddenly, the beauty started to move and turned her head. Sleepy emerald eyes looked at him, and for a moment, Sirius feared that she would run away screaming or hit him with a pillow. To his surprise, she shyly smiled at him and snuggled closer. Sirius wordlessly put one of his strong arms around her.

"I could get used to waking up like this, Mr. Black," Lily mumbled softly.

The business man wasn't able to hide his smile any longer. "So do I, Miss Evans," Sirius answered mischievously and placed a soft kiss on the red-haired beauty's forehead.

* * *

**Assignment #7: **Survival Studies: Task #4. Food/Water: Write a fic set over three days - there must be a scene set on each of the days.

**MEET-CUTE MARCH:** Prompt #2. [SiriusLily]

**APRIL AUCTION: **Day 1: Auction #1. Trope: Bed Sharing (=44 coins)

**INSANE 1000 PROMPT CHALLENGE: **Slytherin: #432 (Occasion) wedding

**356 Prompts: **#1 treasure

**SCAVENGER HUNT 2019: **#97. Write a fic using a trope/cliché

**SPRING SEASON: **Days of the year: 23rd March: National Puppy Day: Write about Sirius Black.

**SPRING SEASON: **Spring: #2. (word) Bright

**SPRING SEASON: **Colours: #2. Sky blue

**SPRING SEASON: **Birthstones: #6. Turquoise (dialogue) "I just had to ask."

**SPRING SEASON: **Flower: #8. Lilac (scenario) Lying to stay out of trouble

**WRITING CLUB: **Disney Challenge (Cinderella): Themes #2. Wealth - Write about someone wealthy. Alternatively, write about someone really poor.

**WRITING CLUB: **Film Festival: #20. (word) adorable

**Words: **[2217]


	3. blossom truths

… **if I die young bury me in cherry blossoms …**

* * *

...  
_"Challenge yourself, grow, blossom, and become who you were meant to be." Carolyn Aronson_  
_..._  
**#4. Blossom truths**

* * *

Trying to ignore the tears that streamed down her cheeks, Lily fished the key to her sister's old apartment out of her small bag. Surprisingly, it took longer than she first expected since her little carry on luggage was a complete mess after she had simply raced around the flat and collected the most important things. All she wanted was to get away from her violent ex-boyfriend – as fast as possible. Once everything was stored in her red bug, she phoned Petunia, who – albeit vacationing somewhere in France – told her about the spare key to the old ivory-covered booth located somewhere in the woods – where this jerk of an ex would hopefully never find her.

With a small crack, the door opened and Lily entered. She walked a few steps until she stopped all of a sudden.

Something was strange. She heard a fire cackle in the chimney, a pair of shoes stood next to the staircaise and a dark brown coat was flung carelessly over the banister.

Immediately alerted, Lily reached for her gun – one of the positive aspects of having pursued a career as a New Scotland Yard Detective.

Carefully, she crossed the entrance room until she reached the living room. She pushed the door open with her foot.

"Hand up where I can see them," she demanded when a stranger emerged from the shadows.

A sound – that suspiciously resembled a book falling to the ground – was heard, followed by a rather grumpy, "Damn, woman, hold your horses! Or do I look like I'm a serial killer?"

...

Crime writer Sirius Black resisted the urge to roll his eyes at the red-haired woman who had just entered. Luckily, she finally lowered that bloody gun of hers.

"Who the hell are you?" they spoke at the same time.

Sirius sighed theatrically. "I _live _here. The better question might be what are you doing pointed a gun at me? And, come to think of it, how did you get in here?"

The woman raised an eyebrow and put the gun back into the holster. "You _live _here?" she repeated, not really convinced. "I highly doubt that. And to answer your question…" she held up her hand in a provocative way, "this is my sister's apartment. She gave me a key. Now tell me who the bloody hell you are! Or did you forget that I'm the one with the gun?"

This time around, Sirius wasn't able to hide his displeasure. "I wanted to spend some quiet time – alone. Petunia allowed me to stay here for as long as I wanted. Though apparently, I need to re-work my schedule… since it seems my wish for silence has just been gone up in smoke."

The red-head's green eyes widened. "You know my sister?" she asked, still a little suspicious.

Now, Sirius did roll his eyes. "Apparently, I do," he sneered and picked up the sketchbook he had earlier dropped. "Why else would I be here, Missy?"

...

Lily didn't like that guy at all. He was grumpy, distant, cold… though she couldn't quite deny that there was something rather mysterious about him. Why would he live here – in the middle of nowhere – all on his own?

"I enjoy the quietness," the stranger mumbled as if he had read her thoughts, "I'm a writer. It helps me think."

Lily flashed him a challenging look. "A writer, huh?"

"Name's Sirius Black."

The Detective pondered for a moment. Somehow, that name sounded familiar, but so far, she couldn't quite place it.

"Lily," she introduced herself. "Lily Evans. Scotland Yard."

Something unrecognizable flashed in Black's eyes, but it vanished as soon as it appeared, and he tried to mask it with a fake laugh. "To what do I owe the pleasure of this introduction, Missy?"

The red-head sighed heavily. "Well, it appears contrary to yours, my parents raised me with manners."

Sirius eyes darkened. "Whatever," was all he said before he turned around and walked towards his cluttered desk. "In case you plan on staying here, Missy, keep your voice down. Some people after all still have some serious work to do."

Once he was sat on his armchair, and lit up the pipe, he added, "do me a solid and go take a nap face down in that dirt over there."

...

By now, seven days had passed, and Lily – always being the good detective – got more and more curious about this mysterious writer the more time passed. But at least, this distracted her from thinking about her ex…

Nevertheless, she had tried to figure out what he was up to, carefully followed him whenever he left his study – though most of the time, he merely got himself something to eat or a cup of steaming Earl Grey.

Sirius Black was like a ghost. All he did was write his secret novel… and Lily wasn't even sure if he really was an author… _if she were just able to get a quick look into that sketchbook he carried along all the time… _

…

Sirius had to be careful. He knew that this detective woman was onto him. He had to make sure she wouldn't figure out his well-guarded secret… the secret that hat already destroyed so many lives… He couldn't let the same thing happen to the red-head. Mostly because – although he would never admit it – Sirius had started to like her. There was something so natural and innocent about her… and he could not let his past ruin that.

…

Lily couldn't help herself wonder about her strange house-mate when she made her way down from her room in the attic to the kitchen. She'd studied Sirius Black for about two weeks now. His behaviour, his manners, his habits (he always drank his tea without sugar, he only ever smoked on his pipe when he wrote and his aftershave smelled splendidly!) and all she had learned was that there was more to the man than he wanted her to know. Something was bothering him and Lily was determined to find out what it was… for she was sure that there was more to Sirius' grumpy persona…

Lost in her own thoughts, Lily somehow missed a step and slipped. Her heart in her mouth, the red-heard closed her green eyes, anticipating to hit the bottom of the stairs with a loud crash. But to her own surprise, she only heard a book fall to the floor and instead felt herself getting caught in a strong pair of arms.

Looking up, still shocked from her fall, she stared right into the guarded grey eyes of the writer.

"T-thanks," she managed to stutter and couldn't help but stare at his dashingly handsome face for a bit longer.

Apparently, Sirius was a bit lost in his own thoughts as well, since he held her – dressed in a milk white gown, bridal style with one hand wrapped around her knees and the other around her back – a lot longer than necessary.

"Erm – well – yes…" he finally spoke and nervously let her go, "next time watch were you're going, Detective."

This said, he brushed a strand of curly hair that had fallen out of is man-bun back behind his ear, turned and walked straight back into his office.

Lily watched his departure for a little while, before she shook her head and cleared her thoughts.

She was about to continue her way to the kitchen, when her green eyes spotted something on the floor.

_The sketchbook._

After a moment of hesitation, Lily picked it up, flipped it open – and paused with her eyes wide open.

...

"I'd be careful if I were you, Detective."

Lily's heart skipped a beat at hearing Sirius disappointed voice from behind. Apparently, he had returned once he figured where he had lost the book.

"This," Lily whispered, and pointed with a shaky hand towards the sketches that were drawn into the book, "this are drawing from the Prison of Azkaban."

Sirius Black sighed, but nodded eventually.

Lily swallowed, flipped the page and skimmed over the old newspaper article. "That's why you looked so familiar. You're the serial killer who escaped from that prison a couple of years ago."

Holding up his hands in defence, Sirius gestured towards the living room sofa. "Before you shoot me, give me a chance to explain," he whispered, his voice filled with regret, guilt and remorse.

...

"You're right," Sirius admitted and offered her a steaming cup of Earl Grey, before he sat down next to her, "I was accused of murder and got imprisoned."

Lily accepted the mug thankfully and listened carefully to what he had to say.

"My best friend, James, was a witness in another murder trial and put into witness-protection programme… Back then, I worked for the London Police and was supposed to watch over him…"

Lily got curious. "Hold on, you were a detective, too?"

A tiny smile appeared on Sirius' face. "Surprised? Well, who would have thought that this grumpy old writer once had an actual interesting life, hmm?"

The red-head blushed embarrassed. "Sorry, I didn't mean to…"

"It's alright," the writer assured her and leaned back against the pillows. "Anyway, somehow, one of the safe-houses we had just moved into was bugged. I only left for a couple of minutes to get something to eat… and by the time I got back, James' lifeless body was sprawled across the floor with a pool of blood around him."

Lily swallowed hard and she felt the tears welling up in her green eyes. "That's awful," she whispered hoarsely.

Sirius sighed, and unexpectedly put his arm around her. "Naturally, I tried to do a cardiopulmonary resuscitation. When the police arrived, the found me kneeling next to the body – hands covered in his blood."

The red-haired Detective pressed her hands over her mouth.

"Long story short, I got arrested and thrown into prison. When there was an unexpected power breakdown, I took my chance and escaped. Petunia owed me a favour, so she didn't really had a choice but to let me stay here."

Lily instinctively snuggled closer into Sirius' arms.

"That's why you should go. This place – lost in the woods – it's not right for someone like you."

Green eyes met grey. "Have you ever thought about telling people what really happened? That you're innocent?" Lily asked, completely ignoring his previous statement.

"I haven't given up, if that's what you mean," Sirius explained with a raised eyebrow.

"Then why are you hiding in the middle of the woods, writing instead of – "

Sirius brushed a strand of red hair back behind her ear. The mere touch of his skin against hers sent chills down her spine.

"First of all, Detective," he said, and the corners of his lips twisted ever-so-slightly, "I'm still a fugitive. And second of all, my book… I'm writing it all down. So even if the police doesn't believe me, people have the choice to read about the truth."

Lily was quiet for a moment, then she laid her head against his chest. "Well, I guess I have to extend my stay then."

Sirius rolled his eyes. "Didn't you listen, Detective? I am a bloody fugitive and – "

Lily put her finger on his lips. "You're innocent. That's all that counts."

...

* * *

**MEET-CUTE March: **Prompt #4. [SiriusLily]

**APRIL AUCTION:** Day 2: Auction #4. (Career) Detective (=38 coins)

**SPRING SEASON: **Days of the year: 29th March: Smoke and Mirrors Day - Write about something that isn't as it appears

**SPRING SEASON: ** Spring: #16. (theme) new beginnings

**SPRING SEASON: ** colours: #3. Milk white

**SPRING SEASON: **birthstones: #5. Moonstone - (dialogue) "Do me a solid and go take a nap face down in that dirt over there."

**SPRING SEASON: **flower: #6. Freesia (object) Sketchbook

**WRITING CLUB: **Disney Challenge (Cinderella): Characters #7. Fairy Godmother - Write about someone unexpected lending a helping hand. Alternatively. Write about a 'fairy godmother'.

**WRITING CLUB: **Film Festival (Liza): #19. (word) schedule

**1000 Prompts**: #885. (genre) Mystery

**365 Prompts:** #2. Provoke

**SCAVENGER HUNT:** #96. Write about a fanon pairing [SiriusLily]

**Words**: [1907]


	4. blossom sounds

… **if I die young bury me in cherry blossoms …**

* * *

…  
_"A flower cannot blossom without sunshine, and man cannot live without love." Max Muller  
_…

**#3. Blossom sounds**

* * *

Battered suitcase and precious violin in tow, the beautiful red-head walks past the town sign. However, the lovely silence she has expected to find in the small village was unharmoniously disrupted by thousands of people crawling on the market square. Naturally, ever the curiously excited woman, she moved a little closer to the stage.

_Wow this place is crowded. _She thinks and watches the many different people around her. Some look like they had been camping on the square for several days – eyes bloodshed and tired – others brought their entire families, some resembled important business man from very big cities – clad in expensive looking suits and ties – and last but not least, Lily spotted people just like her – holding on tightly to their instruments and probably hoping to find the passion for music they had lost in the busy every-day life.

Soon the square starts to crowd even more and once the first lights on the stage lit on, everyone starts cheering.

The people in town call him Sirius Black – and apparently every single woman is trying to get his attention since he is considered to be the most eligible bachelor in town. For a moment, Lily almost giggles at the fan-girl attitude some of them show – there is even one of the who just climbed the stage and got arrested by security.

Then, the first tunes of a guitar is heard, and the red-head closes her eyes – listening to the wonderful sound.

Once the first song was played, the songwriter himself finally steps on the stage – and Lily takes a deep breath. Now she knows why all the girls are freaking out about him – he does look dashingly handsome!

With his faded jeans and laid-back charm he sure seems to be a million miles away from the sharp-suited businessmen of London… Nevertheless, his warm chocolate eyes most definitely put the harmony back into her soul!

He moves gracefully on stage; his curly brown hair is securely wrapped into a messy man-bun, his delicate fingers move swiftly and elegant over the strings, creating a magical melody everyone is enchanted by.

To her own surprise, a beam of light suddenly flashes right at her. The speaker announces that a person from the audience has been chosen to play right alongside the famous musician. For a moment, Lily is stunned and cannot move – that is until the cheering girls around her push her towards the stage, lift her up until she's standing face to face with Sirius Black.

He smiles at her – and his stunning grey eyes are sparkling mischievously at her. Then he points at her violin, shows her his notes and asks her to play along with him.

At first, Lily is hesitant, but soon, the rhythm of the music catches on and together they play as if they have done it for years. The crowd cheers, doesn't want them to stop.

Eventually, they get a small break. The curtain so softly and wonderful like blossoms from a tree. Sirius turns of his microphone and once again flashes her one of his amazing smiles.

He compliments her – on her music, her talent, and her beauty. It makes her blush, but she enjoys it. Then, without a warning, he steps closer to her, encircles her waist with one of his strong arms, pulls her closer and kisses her passionately.

The blood rushes through Lily's veins, and she presses her body closer to the musician, then lays her arms around his neck.

Once they ran out of oxygen, they separate, though don't let go of each others hands. Lily's cheeks show a faint rosy blush, and the rockstars' grey eyes are twinkling madly.

The curtains opens again – and without words spoken, the continue to play. They stand close together, the fabrics of their clothes almost touching. When the last tunes of the last song fades, Sirius again pulls her close and kisses her – right then and there on the stage – and the crowd goes wild.

...

* * *

**MEET-CUTE MARCH: **Prompt #3: [SiriusLily]

**APRIL AUCTION**: Day 1: Auction #4 (word) star (=13 coins)

**SPRING SEASON: **Days of the year: 22nd May: Buy a Musical Instrument Day - Write about someone playing an instrument.

**SPRING SEASON: ** colours: #4. Yellow

**SPRING SEASON: **flowers: #9. Iris (theme) hope

**WRITING CLUB: ** Disney Challenge (Cinderella): #2. 2. Prince Charming - Write a Royal!AU. Alternatively, write about searching for something/someone.

**WRITING CLUB: **Film Festival (Liza): #18. (Dialogue) "Wow this place is crowded."

**365 prompts**: #3. bloodshed

**1000 prompts:** #420 (AU) musician

**Scavenger Hunt 2019:** #88. Write something exactly 666 words

**Words**: [666]


	5. blossom storms

_This one's written for Amanda (DarylDixon'sgirl1985) via Hogwarts' Gift Tag! I hope you like it, love!_

_..._

**... if I die young bury me in cherry blossoms ... **

* * *

...

_"you've got to be one that, wherever you are, like a flower, you've got to blossom where you're planted." Cory Booker_  
...

**#5. blossom storms**

* * *

"Harry, dear, are you ready to go?"

Lily Evans sighed as she watched her 9-year old son gather his backpack, shoes and books and raced right through the door, past the daffodils she had so carefully planted in the front yard and right through a pool of mud, which splashed onto her dress.

'_Great, now my dress is ruined,'_ she thought bitterly.

Shaking her head, she grabbed her son's turquoise-colored rain-coat and sat down behind the wheel of her car.

They drove for about half an hour before they finally reached their destination. Little Harry, always the excited one, jumped right out of the car and rang the bell.

Lily followed him – though she wasn't as thrilled to see the door opening as her son was.

Hand's full with her son's belongings, she reached the front step just in time to see her ex-husband sticking his head out of the house.

"Hey, Snitch!" he greeted his son, who immediately jumped into his father's arms, giving him a tight hug, before he rushed off into the house.

"Lily," James acknowledged her with a little nod.

"James," the red-haired woman answered with a small eye-roll. And albeit the two of them had a comparably friendly divorce, Lily couldn't quite get rid of the nudging feeling of jealousy that rushed through her body every time little Harry's eyes lit up when she told him that he had to spend the week at his father's house. Sadly enough, due to her job, she only got to see her little boy on the weekends.

"I take it everything went well?" James asked, looking a bit suspicious.

Lily sighed. "We had a nice weekend, if that's what you mean."

"Sorry I asked…" James mumbled and this time, he was the one to roll his eyes.

"Never mind," Lily continued skilfully threw her son's rain-coat over James' shoulder. "Here, weather forecast predicts heavy rain for the next few days."

"You know, Harry's got a coat at my house."

Lily shrugged. "Very well, then… I'll be back to pick him up in two weeks, then?"

James nodded. "Yes, that'd be great, thanks."

This said, he shortly waved and shut the door.

The young woman was about to return to her car, when suddenly, James' called after her once more.

"Lily, hold on a sec."

She turned around; eyebrow raised. "Yes?"

"There's a teacher's conference at Harry's school next Friday… and, well, Marlene doesn't have to work that day, so…"

"You want me to go?"

"Would you?" he asked, and quickly added, "please?"

Lily sighed. Although she hadn't really been fond of Marlene at the beginning, she had to admit that her ex's new girlfriend was not that bad… and she really did like Harry. Additionally, she'd finally get a chance to get to know Harry's 3rd grade teacher herself…

"Fine. Though I hope they won't be too shocked to see that I'm actually Harry's mother and not Marlene," Lily mumbled the last part to herself before she waved a quick good-bye and got in her bug.

…

It felt like the 15th time that Lily stared at her watch that night.

She sat on a high char in a pub in a rather fancy hotel she'd never been before, sipping on her third Gin Tonic and her friend Alice still hadn't showed up.

'_What did you expect?_' she frustratedly thought to herself, _'this ain't the first time she stood you up."_

When she was about to leave, a handsome stranger approached her.

"Can I get you something, beautiful?"

She had two choices. Either quickly think of a suitable white-lie to excuse herself, nicely pay her bill, get into the next cab and let herself get driven to her flat where she'd probably fall asleep on the sofa in front of the TV – watching some heavily dramatic soap show that was nothing but boring.

Or, she'd accept this stranger's invitation, order another drink and enjoy a nice evening in his company.

Apparently, he had studied her for a while, and noticed her inner conflict.

"You know, it would be quite un-gentlemanly of me to let you go now, seeing that it's raining cats and dogs outside," the stranger said, pointed to the nearest window and smiled mischievously.

Surprised, Lily followed his glance and noticed that the thunderstorm they had predicted for tomorrow must have approached much faster than anticipated – if she left the pub now, she'd be completely soaked before she even reached a cab…

"Besides, I'm not even sure a cab would drive considering the storm that's raging outside," he continued, and this time, it was Lily's turn to smirk.

"Well, then, I guess I don't have a choice but stay, do I?"

His grey eyes twinkled and he turned to the bartender. "Two Gin Tonics, please," he ordered before he held out his hand for her, "It's only polite to introduce myself to such a lovely woman. Name's Sirius. Sirius Black."

"I'm Lily," she said, blushing heavily. "Lily Evans."

"Pleasure to meet you, Milday," he cheered, and grabbed his drink. "To a nice evening."

Lily clinked her glass with his and smiled brightly. "Cheers."

…

"You think it's still raining?" Lily asked a couple of hours later.

"I bet," Sirius answered without even attempting to look towards the window and the way his lips once again formed this adorable little smile was enough for Lily to giggle like a little school girl. Well, that and perhaps the one or other drink she's had with him.

By now, the bar was almost empty, except for the occasional drunk that had fallen asleep over his beer. The bartender was already cleaning the tables, and both Sirius and Lily had emptied their glasses.

"So…"

"So…"

They said it simultaneously and laughed.

"I should probably get going…" Lily mumbled, feeling a bit tipsy.

Sirius titled his head, and his black curls jumped up and down. "I guess I should, too… but I don't really fancy getting soaked…"

"Which will probably happen once we open the door," Lily continued and smirked.

The dark-haired man's eyes once again twinkled mischievously. "We cannot let that happen now, can we?"

The red-head shook her head in confirmation.

Smiling like a little boy, Sirius gently grabbed her hand, swiftly lifted her off the chair and led her towards the hotel's reception.

"Excuse me, Sir, would there be a room available for two?"

With a knowing look on his face, the receptionist checked his computer. "Well, we're quite booked because of the storm, but our honeymoon suite is still free."

Sirius looked at Lily, who blushed a bright crimson, but nodded.

"We'll take it."

…

"You know, I'm usually not the type of girl who jumps right into bed with the next best stranger…" Lily mumbled later that night, slightly out of breath as she snuggled closer against Sirius' well-built body.

He chuckled, then moved his arm slightly so her head would rest upon it a bit more comfortable, before he quickly tugged at the blanked to keep her from shivering and gave her a chaste kiss on the forehead.

"Well, I'm picking up girls in a bar on a daily basis…" Sirius mumbled and shrugged.

When he saw the shocked expression on Lily's face, he laughed. "Hey, I'm kidding."

The red-haired woman rolled his eyes and nudged him playfully with her elbow.

"It' more of a weekly basis, really… I'm usually waiting for a thunderstorm to approach so I can – "

"Sirius!" she laughed and turned in his arms to face him.

"What?"

"Stop it!"

"Stop what?" he asked, and looked at her with innocent puppy dog eyes.

"Argh…" she sighed, and rolled on top of him.

"I really like you," she admitted and brought her arms around his head.

Sirius cupped her face with his hands and leaned forward to kiss her softly. "I haven't been with a woman in a long time… my family… well, they're a bit… difficult. The Blacks are kinda very influential people and well, they didn't really like it when I refused to marry the girl they picked for me…. And I guess neglecting the family business finally got me disowned."

She shot him a sympathetic look.

"So, yeah, I'm not the type of guy who jumps right into bed with the next best stranger either," he rephrased her earlier statement, "but with you, I don't know, I'm really glad I did it."

Lily didn't say anything. She simply brushed her elegant fingers through his curly hair before she pressed her body closer against Sirius' and kissed him passionately.

…

"I've got to go, but I'd really like to see you again," Sirius asked while putting on his pants the next morning.

Lily, already re-dressed in the pant-suit she wore the previous evening, came out of the bathroom. Her eyebrow's were raised, but her emerald green eyes sparkled. "Aren't you afraid you'd anger your mother?"

"Oh, it would drive my mother crazy, for sure," he answered, and chuckled happily, "I can't wait for that to happen."

The red-head shook her head, laughing. "You're unbelievable."

Sirius, who still struggled with his jeans, fell backwards on the bed. "You mean unbelievably awesome?"

Lily chuckled. "Not quite the words I had in mind, but well…"

Gathering her things, she put her flaming red hair back in a messy bun and hurried towards the door. "I really need to get going… I've got a meeting with my son's teacher in an hour," she explained and pointed towards Sirius' jacket that was hung over one of the chairs. "I put a note with my cell-number in your pocket. Just…."

"Just what?" Sirius asked, breathing heavily as he finally won the fight with his trousers.

Lily smirked. "Just don't tell your mother about it."

Sirius watched the beauty vanish through the door, a smugly smile on his face at her remark. 'I'm gonna marry that, girl,' he thought to himself, and smirked when he thought about how Lily would drive his mother up the walls.

…

Cursing, Lily forcefully shut the door of her yellow bug, before she hurried into Harry's school. She had underestimated the time it took get from the hotel to the school and checking her watch, she was already late for the 10 o'clock meeting with his teacher.

Out of breath, she didn't even mind nocking at the classroom-door, and burst right in.

"So sorry I'm late," she immediately apologized, "I didn't – "

She stopped mid-sentence when the chair behind the teacher's desk was unvacated.

Confused, she set down her bag and looked around the classroom. Right in the second row, she spotted Harry's name tag, so at least she was in the right room. But why was it empty?

Checking her watch, Lily raised an eyebrow. Quarter past ten, and no sight of Harry's teacher.

Deciding that there was nothing to do but wait, she sat down on one of the chairs, and curiously skimmed through the papers on the desk. When her green eyes fell upon the

Suddenly, the door burst open.

"My apologies for being so late, Mrs. Potter," a hurried baritone voice sounded from behind the pile of books the man was carrying with him into the classroom. "You see, I, erm, got caught up by this very lovely woman this morning and – "

"and I guess you also had some trouble with your clothing?" Lily interrupted, a bright smile on her face.

At the remark, the books in his arms dropped to the ground and when he looked at the woman sitting across of him for the first time, his grey eyes widened and after the initial shock, his lips formed a mischievous smile.

"Lily," he exclaimed, astonished and happy at the same time. "What – what are you doing here?"

"My ex-husband's away with his new girlfriend, so I came to meet my son's teacher," she said, smirking. "Though I'd have never expected him to be so dashingly handsome."

"If I had known, I'd have been here sooner," Sirius grinned, "but like I said, I got caught up by a stunningly beautiful red-head in my room."

Lily beamed at him, pushed the papers off his desk and leaned in so that their faces were almost touching.

"Well, it seems, Mr. Black, that this time around I might have to teach you a lesson concerning punctuality."

"Oh, splendidly," he said cheerfully, "my mother's gonna have a heart attack when I'll arrive at dinner on time."

Then he cupped her cheeks and kissed her passionately.

* * *

**SPRING SEASON**: days of the year:

**SPRING SEASON**: Spring: #13 (object) daffodils

**SPRING SEASON**: colours: #7. Turquoise

**SPRING SEASON:** birthstones: #10 Quartz (dialogue): "Great, now my dress is ruined"

**SPRING SEASON**: flower: #1. Tulip (theme) curiosity

**1000 prompts:** #765 (scenario) Hey we hooked up last night and it turns out you are my child's teacher

**365 promtps:** #33. Crimson)

**Scavenger hunt:** #61. Write a Spring themed fic.

**April Auction:** Day16 Auction #4. (weather) thunderstorm

**Oliver Wood's Quidditch Training Camp:** Level 1: #6. Crunches: Use the Trope, Sharing a bed

**Writing Club:** Disney Challenge (Cinderella): Songs: #3. So this is love: Write about someone falling in love

**Writing Club:** Film Festival: #14. (AU) Single parent

**Words**: 2.088


End file.
